I'm sure you will be able to help me in finding the books I'm looking for....
I'm trying to find books talking about WWII or modern era weapons history...I try to expalin better...
I would like to find a WWII book talking about war from "weapons" point of view...weapon used, developments, failures, battles...I'm less interested about politics aspect, more about tech aspect.
I ordered right now the following 2 books:
D-Day June 6,1944: The Climatic Battle of World War II [Paperback]
By: Stephen E. Ambrose
Citizen Soldiers: From the Normandy Beaches to the Surrender of Germany [Paperback]
By: Stephen E. Ambrose

What do u think?
any advice?
I know it's not really related to plastic modelling, but I would like to read your opinion anyway.

ciao from snowy Italy
Luca

You might want to check out Steel Inferno by Micheal Reynolds. It deals with the II SS Panzer Corps in Normandy. A lot of research went into this book. It is not your typical history book. Has accounts from survivors on both sides. Talks about the British operations to take Caen. Also covers Canadian and Polish operations , and deals with their failures and why.
Talks minutely about the different weapons and training between the Axis and Allies.
Delves into the unit leaders and tasks of the 1ss pz dv and the 12th ss pz dv.
I wish i could describe it better for you, but i can't.

What type of weapons are you interested in? Infantry weapons, or tanks and artillery, or all?

its called SS steel rain, i have it, its a great little book, lots of detail about the battles around caen and the ardennes etc

any book by an author called ian hogg will be good for small arms,
i have
infantry weapons of ww2(small arms/mortars/infantry guns etc)
the worlds greatest small arms
they are excellent books, but i beleive out of print, the ones i have are from the late 70's

the osprey and euro militare series are great for individual vehicle types,

cheers

joe

Depends what your looking for. I would be careful of Stephen Ambroses work. Much of it wasn't his but researchers working under. There are also lots of mistakes relating to weapons. There are numerous bout out there on things such as tank tactics etc. A good starting point might be John Elis' A social history of the machine gun. If you can be more specific i could point you in a better direction. It also depends on whether you want a general 'coffee table' book or something a little more academic.

I'm more into tanks and infantry...
But airplanes and ships would do too....
any suggestion?

Thank you all for your replies...
I will look for books you suggested.
I still have to read Ambrose books, ordered them on amazon but still have to get them.
It's not easy, for me, to explain in english what i'm looking for.
I know Osprey books and they are not really what I'm looking for....I love coffee table books, with great pictures, but together with the visual part I would like more data.
I even read a couple of books (tech books) from Tom Clancy.
I found a few interesting "action" parts, but a lot of boring tactical/politic sections stuffed with thousands of acronyms.
Just to give an example I love the chapter where he told how an M1 Abrhams tank, trapped in mud, was able to shot down several Iraqi tanks!

Thnx again for your help
ciao
Luca

Well, at home I've got 2 books about armoured vehicules and artillery... "20th century artillery" and "Armored Fighting Vehicles: 300 of the World's Greatest Military Vehicles", both from Grange books (althought in amazon I've seen them published by others- depends of the years), wiht lots info about artillery... The major drawback is that theres only one illustration of each weapon... Well, both are pocket book edition... You can find info about them in Amazon:

Armored Fighting Vehicules

20th century artillery

See yaaa

i seriously recommend this book, its superb for general info on any afv,



cheers

joe

Great brit, i do not think we are talking about the same book. This book deals only with Normandy.

ah, the one i have is by the same author, but it is indeed different, sorry

it has all the normandy battles, market garden and the ardennes too

cheers

joe

great!!
I will start hunting on Amazon today!!

take care
ciao
Luca